Our Patrons & Ambassadors

Our Patrons

Sir Kostas G. Constantinou OBE

Sir Kostas is a prominent business figure in Papua New Guinea, holding a number of high level public sector and private sector appointments. He is the Chairman of various companies; including Airways Hotel and Apartments Limited, Lamana Hotel Limited, Lamana Development Limited, Alotau International Hotel and Bank of South Pacific Limited. He is a Director of Oil Search Limited, Heritage Park Hotel in Honiara, Gazelle International Hotel in Kokopo, Grand Pacific Hotel in Fiji, Taumeasina Island Resort in Samoa, Good Taste Company in New Zealand and Loloata Island Resort Limited in Papua New Guinea. Sir Kostas is also Vice President of the Employers Federation of Papua New Guinea, Honorary Consul for Greece in Papua New Guinea and Trade Commissioner of Solomon Islands to Papua New Guinea.

Our Ambassadors

Sharyn Ghidella

Sharyn Ghidella is an Australian journalist and news presenter. She currently presents Seven News Brisbane with Bill McDonald. Originally from far north Queensland, Sharyn has reported and presented for Seven Network, Nine Network and Ten Network over a career spanning more than 25 years. Sharyn is a mother of two young boys, Austin and Darcy, and has a long friendship and association with KTF. Sharyn’s partner, Paul Croll, is a former director of KTF and has walked the Track more than 20 times. Sharyn is passionate about giving back to the people of PNG, who gave so much during the Kokoda campaign. “I particularly congratulate KTF on the amazing work it does providing desperately needed health services and education for people in large parts of PNG and for helping to foster the leaders of the future.”

Patrick Lindsay

Author, broadcaster and documentary maker, Patrick has been a passionate advocate of the story of Kokoda since he first visited in 1983 and first walked the Track in 1992. He wrote the best-selling book The Spirit of Kokoda in 2002. He has since written 20 best sellers including The Spirit of The Digger; Back From The Dead; The Essence of Kokoda; The Spirit of Gallipoli; Cosgrove, Portrait of a Leader; Fromelles; Our Darkest Day; Kokoda Spirit; The Coast Watchers;True Blue; and his It’s Never Too Late series of motivational books. He created the format for the top-rating TV reality series, In Their Footsteps, and, most recently, created the Kokoda App to bring the story to the digital generation. He is currently working on a feature documentary, Kokoda … the spirit lives, due for completion in 2017 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Kokoda campaign. In 2015 Patrick was named a Member of the Order of Australia for ‘significant service to the media as a television presenter and journalist, to international relations, and to literature as an author’. Patrick was the Chair of KTF between 2006 – 2017.

Michael Usher

Widely regarded as one of the country’s foremost investigative journalists, Michael Usher is an award-winning reporter, foreign correspondent and newsreader with a career spanning almost three decades. Michael presents Sydney’s Seven News on Fridays and Saturdays, and is called on as live anchor for the network’s rolling coverage of major news events. Michael also hosted Seven’s new, top-rating true crime investigations series Murder Uncovered. Michael joined the Seven News team in October last year after a distinguished 25 years with the Nine Network. Michael is passionate about the work of the Kokoda Track Foundation, particularly around education and keeping the spirit of Kokoda alive. He undertook his first trip to PNG with the Foundation in April this year, where he visited the village of Kokoda and spent time at KTF’s Kokoda College. Michael lives in Sydney with his three young children.

Will Genia

Will Genia is the star halfback for the Wallabies Australian rugby union side and a proud ambassador for the Kokoda Track Foundation. Born in Papua New Guinea and migrating to Australia at the age of twelve, Will intimately understands the unique bond Australia shares with its closest neighbour. “There’s a reason so many Australians choose to walk the Kokoda Track. When you trek Kokoda you step into history and feel a connection with the Aussie soldiers who fought along Kokoda during World War II but you also feel a connection with the people of Papua New Guinea who live in communities along the track today.” Will has been an ambassador since 2011.